The German manufacturer is shunning hybrids and other alternative technologies, believing ultra-refined diesel engines are the greenest solution at the moment. It is planning a range of vehicles sporting the BlueMotion badge, starting with a Polo that achieves 72mpg, with CO2 emissions of 102g/km.
The UK release of the Polo BlueMotion – already a hit in Germany following its release last year – will be in mid to late summer. It will be followed by the Passat BlueMotion, set to be unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show next month. It promises fuel consumption of 55.4mpg and 136g/km of CO2 emissions.
The extra efficiency in the Passat is achieved by fine-tuning the 105bhp TDI engine. Volks-wagen is promising a top speed of 120mph or 118mph in the estate version. Both body versions could manage 840 miles to a tank.
Fleet managers should, however, expect a fairly hefty price premium for the Blue-Motion label. The Polo 1.4 TDI retails at around £11,000 and the Polo BlueMotion, which is based on the same engine, will be around £1,000 more. No plans currently exist for further BlueMotion models, but it is likely that Golfs and Tourans sporting the new badge are not far away.
Jeff Knight, forecast manager for CAP, said he expected BlueMotion models to attract a price premium when they appeared in the second-hand market.
‘At the moment, the used buyer is somewhat ambivalent about CO2 emissions,’ he said.
‘This technology would let them see extra mileage for their fuel money – the initial thought will be ‘money in the pocket’.
A caveat would be, however, that the real-world economy compared to the manufacturer’s claims has not been proven. But as long as there’s a tangible benefit for a used buyer, I definitely see an RV advantage.’
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